BACKGROUND

The idea of a meta-layer on the web is not new—concepts like annotation and associative trails between information date back to before the web itself. Existing projects, such as Hypothesis, Memex, and Honey, operate in this space above the webpage.
 

The recently published book, The Metaweb: The Next Level of the Internet, outlines the high-level concept of a safe, AI-assisted environment above the webpage that promotes privacy, data sovereignty, and fair value exchange.

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On Sept. 16th, we had a kickoff meeting for the Meta-Layer initiative, which  aims to build a foundational application substrate that enables anyone to develop overlay applications, smart tags, and communities that that are active above webpage, potentially integrating existing participants, data, and codebases.
 

The meeting brought together participants to discuss the vision and foundational aspects of a meta-layer built on top of the web. Vint Cerf led the discussion with insights from his extensive experience, providing valuable guidance on building infrastructure and emphasizing key principles like accountability, agency, simplicity, and standards. The group discussed the practical aspects of establishing a new infrastructure and the importance of a federated authentication system, accountability, standards, and business models to support the initiative's growth. The meeting ended with participants suggesting ways to organize and structure their efforts moving forward, with the recognition that simplicity and practical milestones would be critical for success. Here is the transcript and audio. 

Our near-term goal is to collaboratively write an essay on the desirable properties of a meta-layer as suggested by Vint. In the meeting, it also came up that people want to see concrete use cases of a meta-layer. Our first step is to generate a comprehensive list of desirable properties and use cases for a meta-layer that can anchor the essay. Below is the first draft of the desirable properties and the use cases.

DESIRABLE PROPERTIES OF A META-LAYER

From the meeting, several ideas can be identified as desirable properties of the meta-layer, emphasizing trust, security, simplicity, and participant empowerment. Below is a list based on the discussion.

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1. Federated Authentication & Accountability
 

• Federated Strong Authentication: A system where multiple trusted entities authenticate participants, providing a decentralized way to verify identity. This ensures that the meta-layer operates with high levels of trust while reducing the risk of identity fraud or bad behavior.
   

• Accountability: The meta-layer must include mechanisms that hold entities responsible for verifying their identity, humanity, and uniqueness and for their actions online. This would help build trust in interactions, knowing participants are verified and accountable.
   

2. Privacy and Data Sovereignty
 

• Data Sovereignty: participants should fully own and control their personal data within the meta-layer. This includes the ability to decide who has access to their data, how it's used, and to revoke access if necessary.
   

• Privacy-Centric Design: Privacy should be embedded into the design of the meta-layer, ensuring that participants' data is protected and that interactions are secure from surveillance or exploitation by third parties.
   

3. Simplicity and Interoperability
 

• Simplicity: The infrastructure should be as simple as possible to promote adoption and reduce complexity. Vint Cerf emphasized that the fewer ways to implement something, the better. Simplicity helps avoid the overhead of managing too many standards or protocols.
   

• Interoperability: The meta-layer must support interoperability between different platforms, enabling participants, applications, and communities to interact seamlessly across the web. This ensures that no one entity controls the space, aligning with the principles of decentralization.
   

4. Trust and Transparency
 

• Trusted Environments: participants should be able to trust the environment they are interacting in. Whether it's other participants, AI agents, or content, trust will be established through strong authentication, reputation systems, and clear standards for behavior.
   

• Transparency in AI Use: The use of AI within the meta-layer must be transparent, ensuring that AI actions are auditable, explainable, and governed by strict ethical standards.
   

5. Safe and Ethical AI
 

• AI Containment: AI systems in the meta-layer should operate with ethical constraints, making their decision-making processes transparent and explainable. AI should not manipulate interactions, particularly virality, and should be controlled to avoid negative impacts on real people.
   

• AI Governance via Meta-Communities: Meta-communities can play a role in overseeing and governing AI behavior, ensuring that AI operates in ways that align with community standards and ethical practices.
   

6. Security and Provenance
 

• Security at the Core: Strong encryption, data protection mechanisms, and secure communication channels should be integral to the meta-layer. This ensures that both data and interactions are protected from malicious actors.
   

• Provenance of Content: The origin and history of content must be easily traceable. participants should know where content comes from, how it was modified, and by whom, providing a secure and reliable way to assess the authenticity of information.
   

7. Participant Agency and Empowerment
 

• Participant Agency: Participants should have full control over how they interact with the meta-layer. This includes managing their presence, customizing content views through smart filters, and deciding who can interact with them.
   

• Reputation Systems: participants who are verified and act in good standing should be rewarded through reputation systems that reflect their trustworthiness and contributions to the community. This can also help combat harassment and bad behavior.
   

8. Collaborative Environment and Meta-Communities 
 

• Meta-Communities: The meta-layer should enable the creation of meta-communities, where participants can collaborate, share insights, and engage with content across various websites. These communities should persist across the web and be tied to participant trust and verification mechanisms.
   

• Shared Collaboration Spaces: On-page collaboration and annotation allow participants to contribute directly to webpages and share their knowledge, creating a collaborative and engaging web experience.
   

9. Developer and Community Incentives
 

• Broader Reach for Developers: Developers can build applications that work across the web of relevant pages, reaching more participants and enhancing content in ways not restricted by individual platforms.
   

• Community Access and Control: Community organizers and developers have the ability to create persistent, cross-platform communities that enhance collaboration and foster deeper engagement across the web.
   

10. Roadmap and Milestones
 

• Milestones for Implementation: A well-defined roadmap with clear milestones should guide the development of the meta-layer. These could include the establishment of strong authentication standards, decentralized governance models, and meta-community engagement strategies.
   

11. Feedback Loops and Reputation
 

• Feedback Loops: Build-in feedback loops that allow participants and communities to report bad behavior and reward positive contributions. This helps maintain a healthy, accountable environment where bad actors are discouraged through community-driven moderation.
   

• Reputation-Based Compensation: Compensation mechanisms tied to participants' reputation and positive contributions could incentivize engagement while promoting responsible behavior.
   

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PRIMARY USE CASES OF A META-LAYER

During one of the breakout sessions in the Meta-Layer Initiative meeting, several participants expressed that they did not fully understand what the practical use cases for a meta-layer would be. In response to this feedback, we’ve developed the following use cases to clearly illustrate how the meta-layer will transform web experiences across a range of scenarios, highlighting its practical applications for users, developers, and communities.
 

1. Safe Digital Space
    

   The meta-layer ensures that participants are engaging with real, verified individuals, significantly reducing the risk of bots or AI-generated profiles undermining interactions. Through strong authentication systems, reputation management, and governance mechanisms, Safe Digital Space creates an environment where participants can confidently interact, knowing their personal data and privacy are protected. Furthermore, the meta-layer actively identifies and restricts AI agents from pretending to be human or influencing virality or reputation systems.
   
   Example: A participant on a professional community site can trust that the people they encounter as verified individuals, preventing bots or AI-generated profiles from manipulating discussions or interactions.
    

2. ​On-Page Presence
   
   Participants can choose to reveal their presence on webpages, allowing them to meet, interact, and collaborate in real-time with others who are browsing the same content. This creates a new social layer that fosters spontaneous connections and meaningful engagements across the web.
   
   Example: While exploring a research paper, a participant notices colleagues from their field are also on the page. They can start a real-time conversation, ask questions, or collaborate on ideas directly above the content.
    

3. On-Page Interactions
   
   On-Page Interactions allow participants to engage directly with content through annotations, comments, and smart tags. These interactions are tied to specific locations on the webpage, providing participants with context and insights without disrupting their experience. participants can interact with overlay applications, enriching the page with added functionality or information.
   
   Example: A student reading an online textbook can leave annotations explaining difficult concepts, helping future readers to better understand the material, or activate smart tags that link to supplemental resources.
    

4. Contextual Awareness
   
   The meta-layer enhances participants' awareness by providing context around whatever they are focusing on. Through smart tags, annotations, and insights from meta-communities, participants can access relevant background information, related content, or additional resources that improve their understanding in real-time.
   
   Example: As a reader browses a scientific article, related research papers and definitions of technical terms automatically appear through smart tags, offering deeper insights and a more comprehensive understanding.
    

5. Meta-Communities
   
   Meta-communities enable groups to meet, interact, and collaborate across multiple webpages. Whether working on a shared project or simply discussing topics of interest, meta-communities persist across the web, allowing members to stay connected and engage in real-time, directly tied to the content they’re viewing.
   
   Example: A group of developers working on an open-source project can meet and collaborate on specific documentation pages, discussing code snippets and sharing improvements without leaving the webpage.
    

6. AI Containment and Transparency
   
   In the meta-layer, AI agents are fully transparent and contained within strict governance rules. participants are always aware when they are interacting with AI, and AI systems are restricted from influencing critical aspects of the web experience, such as virality or reputation systems. These mechanisms ensure that AI operates ethically and does not disrupt the trustworthiness of the environment.
   
   Example: When browsing product reviews, a participant can easily see which reviews were generated by AI and which were written by verified human participants. AI-generated reviews do not affect the product’s overall rating, preventing manipulation by bots or AI algorithms.
    

7. Data Sovereignty and Personalization
   
   The meta-layer allows participants to maintain control over their personal data and privacy. Participants decide how their data is shared and used, allowing for a personalized experience without compromising data sovereignty. This empowers participants to interact with the web on their own terms, with full transparency and control over their digital footprint.
   
   Example: A participant visiting a news site can choose whether or not to share their reading habits in exchange for personalized content recommendations, maintaining control over how their data is used while customizing their experience.
    

8. ​Developer and Community Incentives

   
   Developers can build applications that work across all relevant webpages, enhancing the content experience without being limited to specific platforms. This enables developers to engage with a broad community of meta-layer participants, while the meta-layer handles complex technical issues like strong authentication, participant uniqueness, and data sovereignty.
   
   Example: A developer builds an overlay application that enhances e-commerce sites with community-generated product recommendations, allowing participants to leave reviews that follow the product across different platforms.
    

9. Interconnected Content Graph

   
   The meta-layer enables participants and developers to connect relevant online content through a shared content graph, which enhances discoverability and relevance. This allows participants to navigate content with enhanced context and meaning, creating a richer and more interconnected web experience.
   
   Example: While reading a blog post about sustainable energy, a participant sees related content and previous discussions from across different platforms, connected through the content graph, offering a comprehensive view of the topic.​

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CALL FOR INPUT ON THE NEXT-LEVEL WEB

Deadline: October 31st, 2024 at 11:59p PDT
 

As we embark on building the Meta-Layer, the foundation for a new internet infrastructure, we recognize the importance of ensuring that it meets the needs and expectations of diverse communities. That's why we are extending an open Call for Input on the list of desirable properties for the Meta-Layer. These properties will be critical to shaping the essay, which will serve as the guiding vision for the Meta-Layer's development.

This is your opportunity to contribute to the future of the internet. Whether you’re passionate about privacy, security, collaboration, or creativity, we welcome your ideas. Your insights will help define how the Meta-Layer operates—addressing technical, ethical, and community-centric concerns. Our goal is to ensure that the essay reflects the perspectives of all stakeholders and ultimately drives the creation of technology that serves everyone.

We invite written contributions throughout the month of October. Every participant who contributes a meaningful idea will be recognized both online and on-chain and will receive a unique digital badge commemorating their contribution to this historic project.

Where To Start

When considering desirable properties for the Meta-Layer, think about the fundamental characteristics that would make this layer valuable and practical for users, developers, and communities alike. Here are a few prompts to help guide your thinking:

 

• Transcend Limitations: What current limitations do you face when interacting online? Are there specific actions, collaborations, or interactions you wish were possible but aren’t? Consider how a new layer above the web could enhance your experience.
   

• User Experience: What features would make the Meta-Layer feel intuitive, seamless, and enjoyable? Think about ease of navigation, personalization, and accessibility.
   

• Feeling Safe and Secure: What would make you feel safe and confident while interacting in the Meta-Layer? Consider safeguards, community standards, or design features that ensure fair and respectful interactions.

• Decentralized Ownership and Control: How can we give users more control over their online experience while promoting a sense of community?
   

• Context and Collaboration: How can the Meta-Layer help users engage more deeply with content, enabling better collaboration across platforms?
   

• Future Visions: If the Meta-Layer existed today, what kinds of overlay applications, smart tags, or meta-communities would you build to make the web more useful, safe, or collaborative?
   

 

Seven Ways to Weigh in on the Desirable Properties

We’ve provided several ways for you to collaborate and contribute your thoughts on the Meta-Layer. Choose the method that works best for you:

• Canopi: Visit https://bridgit.io/meta-layer and join the conversation by clicking the Presence Browser icon (lower right corner). Requires Google sign-in.

• Satcom: Visit https://bridgit.io/meta-layer and collaborate via the Satcom icon (lower right corner). Requires SatCom Chrome extension and Nostr login.

• Hypothesis: Annotate https://bridgit.io/meta-layer using the Hypothesis Chrome extension. Requires Hypothesis registration.

• Memex: Annotate https://bridgit.io/meta-layer using the Memex Chrome extension. Requires Memex registration.

• Google Doc: Collaborate in this Google Doc with comments and suggestions. Requires Google sign-in.

• Email: Send your ideas directly to us via email at info@bridgit.io.

• Substack Replies: Comment below this article on Substack to share your thoughts.
   

HELP BUILD THE FUTURE OF THE WEB

As we move forward with writing the essay on the desirable properties of the Meta-Layer, it’s helpful to revisit the metaphor of a cake or skyscraper. The Meta-Layer creates the infrastructure—the foundation and plumbing—that developers and communities can build upon. It allows for customization, much like designing the interior of a skyscraper or decorating the layers of a cake. The core web remains intact, but the Meta-Layer enables new rooms of interaction, giving participants more control and more ways to engage with content and each other.
 

We invite you to join us in building this new layer of the web—the icing on the cake—that will make the internet a more dynamic, secure, and collaborative space for everyone.
 

Let’s work together to shape the future. We look forward to your input!

 

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Join The Meta-Layer Initiative

We invite readers to actively participate in shaping the future of the web by joining the Meta-Layer Initiative. This initiative is designed to raise awareness of the decentralized public space above the web, which we call the Metaweb. Our goal is to build an application substrate for a safe, AI-assisted meta-environment, known as the Overweb, that sits above the webpage. The application substrate will empower developers to create overlay applications, smart tags, and meta-communities that revolutionize how we interact with information and each other online.

We are looking for people who are passionate about helping to design, develop, and govern the Meta-Layer. Whether you're a technologist, social impact leader, policy expert, or creative thinker, your skills and ideas are critical to realizing the full potential of this new layer of the web.

To get started, please fill out the Meta-Layer Initiative onboarding form. This will give us a sense of your interests, expertise, and the areas in which you'd like to contribute. We will use this information to ensure that your involvement in the project is meaningful and aligned with your skills and passions.

Joining the Meta-Layer Initiative means becoming part of a transformative movement to redefine the internet, making it a safer, more collaborative, and contextually rich environment for all. We look forward to working with you!